Animated jigsaw puzzle toy



March 18, 1969 A. E. GOLDFARB 3,432,961

ANIMATED JIGSAW PUZZLE TOY Filed Aug. 18, 1965 f, a 1&- 29 18 m 14 'i mwgw Mx 20 47 54 ii i [Wren/roe. @000 E. 6040/5095 firram/sw I United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a childs toy. It takes the form of a holder for a jigsaw puzzle comprising jigsaw puzzle pieces, the holder having the configuration of an animal or bird, or the like. The holder for the jigsaw puzzle pieces is movably mounted on a base having imprinted or represented on it a background which is related to the figure which is formed in the holder by the jigsaw pieces. After the figure is formed in the holder from the pieces, the holder can be manually moved to simulate an animate relationship between the figure in the holder and the background.

The present invention relates generally to a toy for young children and more particularly to an animated jigsaw puzzle toy.

Toys for young children should be relatively simple and amusing, however desirably they also provide some challenge to the young childs limited capabilities which serve to maintain his interest as well as teach and reinforce certain basic skills.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved toy for young children.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide an animated jigsaw puzzle toy which is simple so that it can be enjoyed by young children, and which also provides a challenge so that it will tend to amuse as well as teach the child.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of improved crank means of very simple and inexpensive construction for changing rotational to oscillating movement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved animated jigsaw puzzle toy in which the jigsaw puzzle portion of the toy is self-retaining in its assembled condition.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an animated jig-saw puzzle toy embodying various features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional ally along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view taken 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of portions of the crank arrangement of the illustrated toy;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the jigsaw puzzle pieces of the illustrated toy;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of a modified form of puzzle toy.

view taken genergenerally along line ice In brief, the illustrated animated jigsaw puzzle toy 10, includes a base 12 and a frame or holder 14 movably mounted on the base. The holder .14 includes means that define a cavity or receptacle 16 for a plurality of interengaging jigsaw puzzle pieces 18. The illustrated form of the toy simulates a bird perched on a limb of a tree; the base 12 provides a suitable background picture of the tree and the sky while the holder 14 and the assembled jigsaw pieces 18 provide the bird positioned on one of the limbs of the tree. A crank arrangement means 20 permits the child to rock the bird. The illustrated holder 14 and the puzzle pieces 18 are so constructed and arranged in the preferred form of the toy that they interlock when assembled and are magnetically maintained in position in the holder.

Toys embodying the present invention may take various forms. While the illustrated toy is in the form of a bird movable upon a tree limb, various other objects may be substituted such as animals or human beings carrying on various activities, boats rocking on a body of water, an airplane flying, or flowers swaying in the breeze. Preferably, the object, the background, and the movement imparted are relatively simple so that the young child can associate them with his own experiences.

Now considering the illustrated toy 10 in further detail, the base 12 is a generally flat rectangular board which may be made of any suitable material such as wood, metal, cardboard, or plastic. It is preferably lightweight and durable to withstand the tough treatment which young children give to toys.

On the front surface of the base .12 there is presented by drawing, painting or the like, a picture which is associated with the movable object and with its movement. As shown in FIGURE 1, the illustrated base 12 has a picture of a tree having several branches and with several small birds perched on one of the branches. The sky comprises the background of the picture. An appropriate related poem, story or saying may also appear on the base.

The frame or holder 14, which may be made of a suitable lightweight material such as metal or plastic, includes a bottom wall 24 which is in the shape or outline of the movable object. The illustrated wall 24 is in the shape of a small bird and includes a body and head portion 22, a generally upwardly, rearwardly extending tail portion 23, and a generally downwardly extending foot portion 25. The holder 14 is disposed with the bottom wall 24 generally juxtaposed the outer surface of the base 12. The holder 14 includes an outwardly extending side wall 26 which is disposed generally around the periphery of the bottom wall 24 to define the cavity 16 for receiving the jigsaw puzzle pieces 18. The height of the wall 26 is less than the thickness of the jigsaw puzzle pieces so that the pieces may be easily grasped in their assembled positions and removed from the holder. The holder 14 also includes an arm 27 extending outwardly from the foot portion 25. The arm 27 includes an elongated slot 28 extending longitudinally inwardly from adjacent the outer end of the arm.

The illustrated jigsaw puzzle pieces 18 are generally flat elements of irregular shape or outline having illustrative material on their outer surface. If preferred the pieces 18 may be modeled or formed outwardly instead of having fiat outer surfaces. The pieces 18 are so formed that each is adapted to assume a particular spatial position within the cavity 16 and to thus fit edge-to-edge with adjacent pieces 18 and with the wall 26. The assembled pieces combine to present a complete picture of the object which in the illustrated form is a bird having eyes, a beak, feet and the like as shown best in FIG- URE 1. While jigsaw puzzle pieces having straight sides, as is commonly the case, may be used for simplicity, for ease of manufacture, and for more ready manipulation by very young children, the preferred form of jigsaw puz zle piece 18 is illustrated best in FIGURES 2 and 6. The pieces 18 are formed along their lower edges with mating grooves 29 and ribs 30.

As shown best in FIGURE 1, the jigsaw puzzle pieces of the illustrated toy are designated 18a through 18x. The small letter sulfix indicates in general the sequence or order in which the pieces may be inserted into the cavity 16. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 2, piece 180 is placed in the cavity before piece 18k, and when piece 18k is put in position the groove 29 of piece 18k mates with the rib 30 of piece 180 so that piece 180 cannot be readily removed from the cavity so long as piece 18k is in place. The various pieces 18 are similarly constructed and arranged so that there is successive mating between rib 30 and groove 29 and successive pieces overlap one another to lock the previously positioned pieces in place. The final piece designated 18x (the value of x will depend upon the total number of pieces in any particular puzzle) has grooves 29 so that piece 18x overlies the ribs 30 of surrounding pieces to retain them in their positions and in turn retain the other pieces of the puzzle in position. The pieces may be removed from the holder by inverting the toy and shaking it.

The last jigsaw puzzle piece 18x is held in place magnetically. This may be done in various ways. The illustrated piece 18x is constructed of metal and a rectangular magnet 34 is secured in the lower wall 24 so that when the piece 18x is paced in position it is releasably held in that position by the magnet 34. If preferred, the holder could be metal and all or part of the puzzle piece 18x could be a magnet.

While jigsaw puzzle pieces are often made from less durable material such as paperboard, it is preferred that the pieces for the illustrated toy be made from material such as wood or plastic which is more durable and which also lends itself more readily to the formation of the grooves 29 and the ribs 30. As noted above, the last piece 18x is constructed of metal so that it can be magnetically held in place.

The holder 14 is rotatably supported on the base 12 by a pin or rivet 36 (shown best in FIGURE 3) that is located at the foot portion 25 of the holder generally inwardly of the arm 27. The holder is further held in relation to the base by a pin or projection 38 which extends rearwardly from approximately the center of the head-and-body portion 22 of the holder into an arcuate slot 40 in the base. The projection 38 has an enlarged head (not shown) which serves to retain the projection within the slot for sliding relative movement.

The illustrated crank arrangement or means 20 includes the holder arm 27 which operates in conjunction with a drive or crank member 46 mounted on the base 12. The drive member 46 may be constructed of a material such as wood, plastic or metal and may be molded or formed as a single integral part. The member 46 includes a circular disk or wheel section 47 which is disposed outwardly of the arm 27 and an eccentric cylinder or cam section 48 located off-center of the wheel section 47 and extending rearwardly therefrom into the aperture 28 of the arm 27. The drive member 46 is pivotally mounted to the base by a pin or shaft 50 positioned at the center of the wheel section 47 and thus eccentrically of the cylinder section 48. The drive member 46 may be provided with means such as a finger cup or receptacle 52 located adjacent one edge of the wheel section 47 and extending inwardly for manually rotating the member. While a knob or handle could be used, the finger cup 52 permits the toy 10 to have very flat compact outer dimensions for convenient packing and storage.

Thus, it may be seen that the drive member 46 rotates as a unit about the axis of the shaft 50, causing the cylinder section 48 to serve as an eccentric cam. With eccentric cylinder section 48 disposed within the aperture 28 of the arm 27, rotational movement of the drive member 46 causes the arm 27 and thus the holder to oscillate or reciprocate back and forth about the axis of the pin 36. It will be noted that the parts are so constructed and arranged that the wheel section 47 overlays and conceals the aperture 28 in all positions of the crank member 46. The mother bird is oscillated generally toward and away from the small young birds pictured on the base, to thereby simulate feeding of the small birds by bringing food in the mouth of mother bird to the small birds.

FIGURE 7 shows a modified form of puzzle toy 10a. The lower wall 24a of the holder 14a is of a magnetic material such as sheet metal and each of the puzzle pieces 18a has secured thereto a small permanent magnet 56. The magnets 56 will releasably hold the pieces 18a in the holder so that pieces need not interlock but have simple straight vertical walls.

Thus, an animated jigsaw puzzle toy is provided which is simple and durable, yet which is sufiiciently challenging to hold the interest of a child and to provide a certain amount of teaching and the opportunity to utilize manipulative skills. Further, the preferred form of the toy includes a jigsaw puzzle construction which is interlocking and magnetically held so as to be releasably selfsupporting.

Various modifications and changes in the illustrated structure, in addition to those noted above, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Various features of the present invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An animated jigsaw puzzle toy comprising a generally flat base, a holder pivotally mounted on said base, said holder including a that bottom wall positioned juxtaposed to said base and including upstanding edge wall means defining an upwardly open cavity, said edge wall means defining the outline of an object recognizable by a young child, jigsaw puzzle pieces removably positioned in said cavity and providing, when so positioned in said cavity, pictorial details of the object outlined by said holder, rotary eccentric cam means for oscillating said holder about its pivotal mounting, said cam means engaging an aperture in said holder, and means on said flat base delineating background environment for said object.

2. An animated jigsaw toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said last named means includes a second section of said crank member positioned outwardly of said holder and extending so as to overlay and conceal said aperture in all positions of said crank member.

3. An animated jigsaw puzzle toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second section of said crank member, includes means defining a finger receptacle eccentric to the axis of rotation of said crank member.

4. An animated jigsaw puzzle toy comprising a base, a holder movably mounted on said base and including means defining a cavity, jigsaw puzzle pieces removably positioned respectively in predetermined locations in said cavity, said jigsaw puzzle pieces having overlapping means interlocking with one another so that at least a majority of said pieces is retained in the position in said cavity by engagement with an adjacent one of said pieces, and means between at least one piece and said holder including a magnet on one and a metallic portion on the other and constituting the sole means for releasably holding said at least one piece in said holder, said one piece having portions overlying portions of adjacent pieces whereby to retain all said pieces in said holder, and means relative to said base.

5 6 between said holder and base for moving said holder 2,861,358 11/1958 Ward.

3,181,869 5/1965 Genin 273157 2,585,419 2/1952 Zarlengo 273-157 fer nc Cited 2,283,628 5/1942 Greenwood. UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,151,867 10/1964 Miller 273157 9/ 1887 Kelly. OTHER REFERENCES 10/1899 Bowers 273 155 Publication: Playthings, June 1963, p. 9. 11/1930 WalSs 273-136 5/ 1935 Darling 273-157 ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner. 3/1946 Maibaum 46-1 19 X 10 1/1952 Dietze 46119 X US. C1.X.R. 12/1956 Strocco 273136 273157; 46119 

